Ego

[cyberpi]

Originally Posted by Muslimwoman

I find it interesting that people seem to think of ego in a positive way, yet I can only view it as a negative.

Originally Posted by Thomas

Just wondering, does the id and superego have a place in your systems ... or is the Freudian make-up extraneous (as you point out, ego had a meaning long before Freud redefined it)?

As I understand it, the Greek and Latin languages preceeded Christianity and Islam. In both the Bible and Qur'an, in Latin and Greek... God, Allah, everyone from Adam to Jesus, Muhammad... all refer to themselves directly as 'EGO'. Am I to assume that each are referring to themselves as this allegedly negative, non-humble, 'EGO'? A relatively newer evolved language... English... has the two different words 'I' and 'ego'. So then it is easy to assign an entirely different character to the Latin / Greek word 'ego'. If I visit the only place on the planet where people might still speak Latin... the Vatican... will I find people using the word 'EGO' as a non-humble self important pride? Or is it used by anyone describing or referring to themselves... as in 'I'?

It is no different than alleged Christians saying that 'Allah' and 'God' are entirely different, on the one hand, yet while also publishing Arabic bibles with the Arabic word 'Allah' in place of 'God'. As the transliteration becomes a new distinct word in one language it provides two distinct words to attach different meanings. Then the translation back really corrupts and causes nothing but strife.

Therefore in my vocabulary 'Ego' is not a bad word and is closely associated with a 'soul' in three major languages... and I'd use a better word like 'narcissistic' to describe the condition of selfishness or self-importance. If in the pursuit of humbleness it is preferred to be a faithless apathetic drone or slave, then maybe both the words 'EGO' and 'I' belong in the dumpster of negative traits. 'Ego' don't think so.

[Bruce Michael]

Hi Andrew,
Steiner's system follows the days of the week, which are a microcosmic picture of the macrocosmic evolution.
Earth is also Mars/Mercury.

There is an Old Saturn (Chronos), Old Moon and Old Sun, which were repeated on this Globe.
The first half of the Lemurian epoch was a repetition of the Old Moon. At the mid point of the Lemurian Epoch the Moon left the Earth/Moon- the beginning of the separation of the sexes. The Moon departed the Earth in the area we know as the Pacific Ocean.

-Br.Bruce

[Bruce Michael]

Here's meditation that serves to strengthen the 'I'.

Given in English to an English pupil by Dr. Steiner.
In the Morning:

Picture to yourself that you are in the midst of cosmic space, surrounded by Light, and that a voice comes to you from the four points of the compass (a single voice, but coming from four different directions) speaking to you:- "Be a strong I. Give thy heart to the Spirit of the World."
(Be very quiet in your soul
after this meditation.)

In the Evening:

Review the day in backward order from evening till morning.
Picture to yourself that you are in the depths of cosmic space, surrounded by Darkness, and that you are speaking to the Full Moon in the East:-
"I will be a strong I. I will give my heart to the Spirit of the World."
(Be very quiet in your soul after this meditation)

-Br.Bruce

[Bruce Michael]

Dear Friends,
The development of Man up to this point has been to enhance the separateness of the individuality, and selfishness is part of this. The mission of alcohol played its part too.

In ancient times we experienced our "I" most naturally in all that was around us- the spiritual world as well. The mystic sought to regain some of this consciousness - "I am this world". This was the old tribal consciousness which still persists in some of our Australian Aboriginals.

This sense of individuality has left us with a loneliness, which is very apparent today.

The development of this separate "I" will not end here, but in a voluntary co-operative society in the future- known as the Sixth Race, or Philadelphia in Revelations. (The Six Sub Race will be the seed of the Sixth Root Race.)

"For selfless deeds are the real foundations of immortality: this is the reflex of selfless deeds in the outer world."

-R. Steiner

Another paradox- we only get to keep what we give away.

"To do something for the higher self is not selfish because it is not done only for the self. The higher self will be united with all other higher selves, so that is done for all at the same time."
RS
"A tiny handful of men will save themselves and pass over to the Sixth epoch. This tiny handful will have developed complete selflessness."
RS

Compassion for self is a caring for oneself, it is not egotism. So many times today we hear of people hating themselves and sometimes suiciding because of that hate. Compassion for self is right and correct, so is a strong I AM or ego-identity. Conceit is a different matter.

Vanity gives us a false view of ourselves in our relationship to the world.
We may tempted to lie to ourselves about self, because we are pained by some of our faults. Marcus Aurelius has some wonderful things to say in his Meditations about a healthy view of self- all the more important considering his status as the most powerful man in the world of his time.

Our true enduring self is our higher self. Our personality will perish at the end of this life.



-Br.Bruce